Kollam(Quilon)
Jatayu Nature Park or Jatayu Rock
Jatayu Earth Center, also known as Jatayu Nature Park or Jatayu Rock, is a park and tourism centre at Chadayamangalam in Kollam district of Kerala. It stands at an altitude of 350m (1200ft) above the mean sea level.
Jatayu Nature Park holds the distinction of having the world’s largest bird sculpture, which is of Jatayu.
The sculpture measures (200 feet (61 m) long, 150 feet (46 m) wide, 70 feet (21 m) in height and occupies 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of floor area). It was sculpted by Rajiv Anchal.
This rock-theme nature park was the first Public–private partnership tourism initiative in the state of Kerala under the BOT model. The park is about 38 km (24 mi) away from the city of Kollam and 46 km (29 mi) away from the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram.
After completion, it opened to visitors on 17 August 2018.
The park located near the town of Chadayamangalam (Jatayumangalam), which was named for Jatayu. Jatayu was a demi-god in Ramayana (a Hindu epic) who had the form of a vulture.
According to the epic, Ravana was attempting to abduct Sita to Lanka when Jatayu tried to rescue her. Jatayu fought valiantly with Ravana, but as Jatayu was very old Ravana soon defeated him, clipping his wings, and Jayatu fell onto the rocks in Chadayamangalam. Rama and Lakshmana while on the search for Sita, chanced upon the stricken and dying Jatayu, who informed them of the battle with Ravana and told them that Ravana had headed South.
largest fresh water lake in Kerala
Sasthamcotta Lake or Sasthamkotta Lake, also categorized as a wetland, is the largest fresh water lake in Kerala, a state of India on the south of the West Coast. The lake is named after the ancient Sastha temple (a pilgrimage centre) located on its bank. It meets the drinking water needs of half million people of the Quilon district and also provides fishing resources. The purity of the lake water for drinking use is attributed to the presence of large population of larva called cavaborus that consumes bacteria in the lake water. The lake is a designated wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention since November 2002.
Ponmudi is a breathtaking hill station situated at the southern stretch of Western Ghats. Located within a short driving distance from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, Ponmudi literally means The Golden Peak.
The first thing that travellers to Ponmudi notice is the thick tropical forests that carpets the foot of the hill range. Hairpin bends, steep climb and mist covered stretches marks the route to Ponmudi from Kallar, located at the base of the village.
Located close to Agasthyar Hills, one of the biggest peaks in Western Ghats, Ponmudi offers excellent trekking and camping opportunities. Trekking through the thick forests one gets to see assortment of mountain flowers, unusual butterflies and small rivulets. However, the incline is steep and the trek rigorous.
For those who prefer casual strolls instead of trekking, Ponmudi would leave them impressed. A walk through the tea gardens is a feast for the eye and the senses.
The lake is located at a distance of 25 km from Quilon city, which is on the northern side of Ashtamudi Lake. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, at 105 km, is the nearest airport to Kollam. Karunagapally, at a distance of 8 km, is the closest town to the lake. A ferry service across the lake transports people between West Kallada and Sasthamkotta
popular beaches in the city of Kollam
Thirumullavaram Beach (Malayalam : തിരുമുല്ലവാരം ബീച്ച്), is one of the popular beaches in the city of Kollam and a tourist destination in the state of Kerala. The beach is situated at Thirumullavaram, an important neighbourhood of Kollam city. The beach is very famous for conducting the Karkidaka Vavubali rituals.Thousands of devotees arrive on the beach to perform the Vavubali Tharpanam every year. It is one of the most attractive beaches located in South India.
Thirumullavaram beach is one of two main beaches in the Kollam (known as the 'Cashew Capital of the World'). The beach area is full of coconut palms which makes the place a shady and quiet silent place. The beach is ideal for early morning walks The beach is ideal for swimming and sun bathing and no danger zones are identified. The beach is connected with all the major roads around the state and it can be easily accessed to reach the place. The taste of local cuisine that is mostly flavoured with coconut and spices like cardamom, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and ginger are also attract a good number of visitors. A water hillock named Njarazhcha Para which means Sunday Rock, is another allurement for the tourists visiting here. During low tides, this hillock can be seen clearly from the shore about one and a half km into the sea. As per the 2018 study report by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute(CMRFRI) of India, Thirumullavaram beach is one of the 16 best-kept beaches in India, topper from the state of Kerala.
longest shore in kollam district
Neendakara, by the name it is the longest shore in kollam district. It is 5km from the Ashtamudi cottage resorts. Though it's not a tourist spot it is a must watch place where Ashtamudi lake converges with Arabian sea.
The Neendakara is a famous fishing port, located 9 km north of Kollam district in Kerela. This major sea port is one of the biggest in the region, with the capacity to contain over 500 fishing boats at a time. The place is so beautiful that people from different parts of the state, country and even abroad come here for a divine holiday experience in the lap of mother nature. The Neendakara Port offers an excellent view of the surroundings, from where the visitors can even watch the delightful sight of Ashtamudi Lake, converging into the vast sea.
Wildlife Sanctuary
Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in the Western Ghats, India, located in Kollam district of Kerala and comes under the control of Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve. It was established in 25 August 1984 and comprises 172.403 square kilometres (66.565 sq mi). The name is a corruption of the Chengurinji, a tree endemic to the region (Gluta travancorica). The sanctuary is having an artificial lake of nearly 18.69Sq.km size and also surrounded by the reservoir of Thenmala Dam. The Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is a treasure house of plant diversity. About 1257 species of flowering plants belonging to more than 150 families are reported from this sanctuary of which 309 species are endemic to Western Ghats. Birds from 267 species including migratory, endemic and endangered species have been reported here.
Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest cover a major area of the sanctuary. It has a presence of lion-tailed macaque, a highly endangered species. A brood of the highly elusive nocturnal forest bird, the Great Eared Nightjar was spotted for the first time at Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in Kollam, Kerala. Earlier, it was recorded from the Siruvani foothills in Tamil Nadu in May 1995. The Great Eared Nightjar (Eurostopodus macrotis bourdilloni) belongs to the nightjar family. It gets its name from the two erect earlike tufts of feathers on its head, behind the eyes).
